Showdown in GCC over gay rights

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday March 30, 2016 10:02

 

The motion, which will be tabled by councillor Sergeant Kgosietsile of Marulamantsi ward, wants government to extend HIV/AIDS services, information and materials specifically to gay groups, who have previously been discriminated against or stigmatised.

Today’s session is expected to be attended by high profile gay rights lobbyists, including Assistant Local Government and Rural Development minister, Botlogile Tshireletso, human rights lawyer, Uyapo Ndadi and a representative of former president, Festus Mogae.

Mogae has recently come out in support of the decriminalisation of homosexuality.  Gantsi North MP, Noah Salakae is also expected to attend, as well as representatives of NGOs involved in human and specifically, gay rights.

The councillor’s arguments are based on a study conducted a few years ago, which showed that people in same sex relationships were discriminated against in accessing information and materials on HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

Kgosietsile told Mmegi that as a country that has been fighting HIV/AIDS for more than 35 years, losing many in the process, it was high time gaps in policy, laws and structures were closed.

“Many families have been broken by this disease. Various attempts to remedy this problem of HIV/AIDS have been made.

However, there are still gaps evident in our approaches. Some of the gaps are created by our policies, laws and structures,” Kgosietsile said.

The councillor said lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people faced multiple challenges, which affect them and their families including isolation, ejection from home, violence and mental health issues such as depression.

He said many in these groups are unemployed as companies either terminate them or refuse to hire them, while others faced refusal to provide law enforcement and health services.

Through the motion, the councillor wants authorities to provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS education, sensitisation training for health care workers, and stigma and discrimination-free services to gay groups. 

He also wants the decriminalisation of same-sex sexual relationships in order to eliminate the stigma and discrimination associated with these.

Kgosietsile also wants gay rights issues to be included in the curriculum of health care workers at training level.

The motion follows a recent Court of Appeal judgment, which stated that homosexuality, as a state of sexual orientation, was not a crime under the constitution.

The same judgment, however, noted that practicing homosexuality was still a crime, with the Court of Appeal bench noting that as the legal conundrum.